Thursday, July 17, 2008

The Pope is the Antichrist

The Pope is the Antichrist
A Demonstration from Scripture, history, and his own lips.
Being a Precis of Dr. J. A. Wylie's Classic, "The Papacy is the Antichrist"
By Ian R. K. Paisley M.P., M.E.P.


'The same line of proof which establishes that Christ is the promised Messiah, conversely applied, establishes that the Roman system is the predicted Apostasy. In the life of Christ we behold the CONVERSE of what Antichrist must be; and in the prophecy of the Antichrist we are shown the CONVERSE of what Christ must be and was. And when we place the Papacy between the two, and compare it with each, we find on the one hand, that it is the perfect CONVERSE of Christ as seen in His life; and on the other, that it is the perfect image of the Antichrist, as shown in the prophecy of him. WE CONCLUDE, THEREFORE, THAT IF JESUS OF NAZARETH BE THE CHRIST, THE ROMAN PAPACY IS THE ANTICHRIST.'
— Dr. J. A. Wylie



Introduction
The Church of Rome portrays herself as the Mother and Mistress of all Christian Churches, and behold the Protestants have a new name -- they are no longer 'heretics' but 'separated brethren.'
Scripture Prophecy Itself, Supplies The Key To Its Interpretation
It is the purpose of this book to demonstrate that the preaching of the Great Cloud of Witnesses of all Ages in the Church is true and that the little horn is none other than the Dynasty of Rome's Popes and that therefore THE POPE IS THE ANTICHRIST.
A Great Cloud of Witnesses
These faithful witnesses all held the doctrine that the Church of Rome is the Babylon of Revelation chapter seventeen and the Pope is the Antichrist prophesied in Scripture.
The Faith Of The Historic Christian Churches
This doctrine is written into the Historic Creeds and Confessions of all those Churches which held, in their earliest days, the Bible to be the Sole Rule of Faith and Practice.
The Term 'Antichrist'
Of all the religions on the earth Romanism is the only one which meets all the requirements of Biblical prophecy, as we shall see. Popery alone exhibits all the features of the Antichrist.
Antichrist Portrayed Before His Birth
No wonder that greatest of all English preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, exclaimed when he read this Scripture passage, 'ARREST THE POPE ON SUSPICION OF BEING THE ANTICHRIST!'
Antichrist An Enemy Of Christ Under A Mask
But the definition of Antichrist is stated by John thus, 'He is antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son.' I John 2:22.
Antichrist No Atheist Or Communist
When we eliminate those false Antichrists who cannot measure up to the prophetic standards set forth so clearly in the Scriptures, we come more and more to within sight of the real Antichrist.
The Two Mysteries Of The Bible
What is 'the mystery of iniquity'? It is none other than the parallel and counterfeit of 'the mystery of Godliness.' It is the revelation of the Great Lie which has its full manifestation in the Person of the Antichrist.
The Unfolding of the Two Mysteries
When the fulness of the time came and the day of Antichrist’s appearance had arrived, the great reality appeared, 'The Man of Sin and Son of Perdition.' He had found his seat on the Seven Hills, but not as yet his full stature.
The Pastor Becomes Monarch – Ten Centuries of Climbing
He claimed to be the world’s one monarch and bishop, the Representative of Christ on earth.
The King with Three Crowns – The Vicar
The career both of Christ and Antichrist was to end on a throne but each was to reach their respective thrones by a very different road.
The "All Power" of Christ and Antichrist
Christ does miracles. The Antichrist does counterfeit miracles. Paul highlights these when he states that Antichrist’s coming ‘is after the manner of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.’ II Thess. 2:9.
‘Signs and Wonders’ of Christ and of Antichrist
Baptismal Regeneration is a lying wonder. Sacramental grace is a lying wonder. The Absolution of the Confessional is a lying wonder. Transubstantiation, the mass, is the biggest wonder and greatest lie of all, and extreme unction is the last and fatal lie.
Antichrist’s ‘Signs and Wonders’ of Terror
It should be emphasised that Vatican Council Two reaffirmed no departure by the church from the decrees of the Council of Trent. Rome’s curses stand! The Infallible Antichrist has decreed them!
The All Deceivableness of Unrighteousness
Paul emphasizes this special mark of the Antichrist. It is a most remarkable one. Nowhere else is it used in the Bible. It is not applied to any other system – ‘all deceivableness of unrighteousness.’
The Culmination of the Parallelism and Enthronization
The enthronization of ‘the mystery of Godliness’ and the enthronization of ‘the mystery of iniquity’ run parallel yet are immeasurably and eternally separated.
Antichrist’s Usurpation Over Kings and Nations
Antichrist makes a double usurpation. He vaults over the thrones of kings into the very throne of God.
Antichrist Exalts Himself Above God
Sitting in the temple of God speaking ex-cathedra the Pope claims to have the infallibility of God Himself. This is the daring pitch and blasphemy of Antichrist in keeping with Paul’s prophecy, ‘Shewing himself to be God.’
Man of Sin and Son of Perdition
The apostle Paul completes the portrait of the Antichrist by styling him the ‘Man of Sin and Son of Perdition.’
Christ Predicted the Papacy as the Antichrist
Christ predicts the dynasty of the Antichrist and the False Prophet. Note carefully His language. He warns in Matthew chapter twenty-four against the deception of antichrist but never uses the singular in His references.
Antichrist: His Doom
As Son of Perdition, the Antichrist is the heir of perdition. It was written of him before he arose, 'he goeth unto perdition.'
Does Not The Likeness Fit?
The numerical value of the Pope's title on his golden crown at his public coronation, namely 'VICARIVS FILII DEI is that remarkable number 666.
What Think Ye of the Antichrist – Whose Son Is He?
Cardinal Manning says: “The Catholic Church is either the masterpiece of Satan or the Kingdom of the Son of God.” Cardinal Newman says: “A sacerdotal order is historically the essence of the Church of Rome; if not divinely appointed, it is doctrinally the essence of antichrist.”

Spurgeon on Antichrist
"It is the bounden duty of every Christian to pray against Antichrist, and as to what Antichrist is no sane man ought to raise a question. If it be not the popery in the Church of Rome there is nothing in the world that can be called by that name. If there were to be issued a hue and cry for Antichrist, we should certainly take up this church on suspicion, and it would certainly not be let loose again, for it so exactly answers the description."

Source: http://www.ianpaisley.org/antichrist.asp